


Roar, Mighty Lion, Roar

by Batwynn



Category: Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Marvel Norse Lore, References to Norse Religion & Lore, Vikings, fear of lightning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-17
Updated: 2014-10-17
Packaged: 2018-02-21 12:09:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2467796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batwynn/pseuds/Batwynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Upon visiting Midgard, Loki learns that Thor + Too much ale + the desire to impress mortals = a painful mistake.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Roar, Mighty Lion, Roar

**Author's Note:**

> a drabble thing for snarkylittlesoviet  
> For the word: brontophobia
> 
> ** Please do not share, repost, translate, or create printed copies of this fic without my express permission.

 

He wasn’t afraid of anything. For what could scare him when he had his brother by his side and magic at his finger tips? Nothing, at least, until both betrayed him.

Thor had been coercing him into another foolish ‘adventure’, lecturing him on the importance of fresh air and the dangers of book dust in one’s lungs. It was utter nonsense, but by the end of it Thor’s serious expression as he blathered on made Loki laugh, and he found himself coming along as usual. It was nothing too dangerous, compared to some of their past journeys out into the realms. They were simply paying those cute mortals a short visit, strike some fear in their hearts, perhaps find a willing lad or lady to play with for the night.

Loki had slicked his hair back, still short back then, and placed a gold circlet upon his head. His clothing was not full armor, as Thor opted to wear, but some rather nice royal greens and silvers all the same.

As usual, their arrival was greeted, first by screams, then by cheers and singing. They were still gods to these creatures, assigned traits and powers and beliefs that made Loki laugh. They knew he could do many clever things with his magic, but some of the tales he heard told about him were most amusing, and highly unrealistic. The horse, for example, was much less simple a tale as they told, so he had to go in and add some details to it for them.

The drink was weak, the women only half as pretty as Sif and the men were just too… bearded. So, Loki was feeling rather bored this time around, and narrowed his eyes at his foolish brother, who was obviously having far too much fun on his own. Loki hissed, flicking a finger his way to stab a hole through his horn of mead. It poured out over his tunic, down his pants, and Thor blinked at the mess stupidly. Then, he laughed, and got another cup from a pretty blond with far too much cleavage. With a roll of his eyes, Loki stalked out of the drinking hall and into the cold, winter air of the outdoors. The low laying building was covered in snow, its usual lush green grasses dead and brown underneath. Loki liked it better that way, the realm turning white and silent as the snow muffled away all the noise and chaos mortals wrought.

Chaos was his blood, of course, but this was more Thor’s sort of chaos. So, Loki wandered out into the snow, passing more homes and closed up barns as he made his way down to the docks. The great ships the mortal’s build were one of the few things Loki admired from them. It wasn’t so much their technical ability, but the beauty and mastery of wood was something he could appreciate.

He stopped in front of one, lifted from the ground on long polls to avoid the frost that would warp the wood. The carved dragon head glared down at him, face contorted with rage so strong Loki swore he saw flame in the creature’s eyes.

A rumble crossed the valley, causing Loki to frown. That sounded like thunder, which did not happen in such cold weather, so…

Another rumble, and a flash of light blinded him.

"Oh Thor, you moron!" Loki hissed, rushing back through the snow as quickly as his feet would allow.

There on the roof of the hall, was Thor with his hammer held aloft for all to see. Small sparks of lightning still traced their way. Down the metal vambraces, crackling as they danced over his body harmlessly. He was laughing, of course, and Loki gritted his teeth at the display.

Every time, every damned time they visited Thor would do this. Nearly every time, he would also end up setting fire to something, or someone, and the mood would go foul rather quickly. Enough was enough, Thor needed a good push.

"THOR!" Loki bellowed, elbowing people out of the way. "GET DOWN HERE!"

He just laughed, swinging his hammer lazily as the clouds rolled in off the sea. Loki tried to push past the crowd of people gathered around the hall, staring up and cheering for their God of Thunder. Lighting was gathering above, the hairs on Loki’s neck rising as the air sparked with Thor’s Magic. It was different from your usual storm, called in impossible conditions, and far more dangerous.

"THOR!"

The laughter continued and the people pressed around Loki to get closer to the sloping roof. He tried and tried to get by, pushing and sending people tumbling away as he made his way to the edge of the roof. Only, someone had gotten there before him, that pretty blond maiden was already crawling up through the snow in her dress. Loki cursed and clambered up after her, snow crumbling underfoot and giving way to slick mud and grass underneath. He stumbled, thunder roared, and Thor drove his hammer to the sky, crying out to his storm.

The maiden was too close and the lightning was coming. There was no time, so Loki dove forward, knocking the woman away and sending her rolling down the roof with a squeal. He looked up, green eyes meeting startled blue, and then it was nothing but white and pain.

________

Burning, or was it freezing ice in his veins? His body seized, curling in on itself as if to protect him from the attack. But it was too late, lightning crawled though him, inch by inch, striking his bones, his muscles, his heart.

Was he screaming?  
He could not tell over the thundering of his own heart racing against his chest. Then, it was over, his body left twitching and spent in the mud. He could feel the damp of melted snow around him, seeping into his clothes, pouring into his mouth and nose. Hands came to lift him up, and now Loki knew it was he who was screaming. The mere touch of fingers against his flesh set his nerves on fire.

"Brother… oh… what have I done?"

Loki choked on a hysterical laugh, and pushed himself away from Thor’s body.

"I-I… ngh…" he trailed off with a growl at his inability to speak properly. His use of words was one of his few strengths, he could not appear weak in front of the mortals. Loki snapped his head up to see a sea of wide eyes and opened mouths. Perhaps it was too late for that, after all. He had fallen before them, to something so simple as lightning. Something Thor mastered and played with as easily as a child.

"Brother," Thor whined from behind him.

"Sssssilence!" Loki hissed, standing up tall against all his body’s wishes. He leveled a cool glare at the people below and walked down the slope of the roof without a single slip or tumble. At the ground, they parted before him, each face a mask of awe or fear as he strode past them and continued on out of the village. He was aware of Thor following behind him some paces back, but he was to be ignored. It was taking all of his concentration to simply walk, and the fool who had caused his pain deserved no attention from him.

The journey home was silent, their arrival with little celebration as the Lady Frigga ushered him away to the healers immediately. Words were said to Thor, useless warnings, hardly a reprimand, and Loki hid away in his rooms as soon as the healers released him from their clutches. He would not come out for days, not until his mother forced him to join them for dinner, and even then, he avoided Thor’s pitying gaze.

This continued for a long while, Loki avoiding him, Thor silently pleading him to speak. As time went on, Thor grew more and more desperate for his attention, and finally cornered him.

"Brother, Loki, please!" Thor yelled, catching his arm to turn him around. "Please at least let me apologize."

Loki automatically tensed up, even if the scar had long since stopped burning at a simple touch. But Thor’s hands against his skin was all he needed as a reminder of how his body was ruined. His second day home, was when he saw it. White cracks crawling down his back and shoulders, even up into his hairline. It would not heal, or fade, or hide behind a glamour. It breathed magic, it crawled along his skin and kindled a fury inside of him.

"You will remove your hands from my person," he said calmly, his voice cold. Thor did as he was told, but stood as close to him as ever.

"You have my deepest apologies, brother. I honestly never meant any harm to you."

"You nearly killed one of your worshipers. I should have let you."

"Nay, you did a good deed that day, saving her life. I doubt any other could have survived my lighting."

"Ah, yes, because her pitiful life was worth mine," Loki spat. "I should have left her to burn under your power. I wonder how awed they would be after their favorite god killed the pretty little thing."

Thor frowned at him, unused to the bitter tone in Loki’s voice. He had heard it, rarely, directed at others who wronged him. But never to him, and never had he seen Loki so full of hate.

"Are we finished here? I have places I need to be, namely anywhere without your presence."

"Loki, why are you so angry? I apologized and—"

Something in loki snapped, and his voice echoed through the hall as he yelled, “Your apologies mean nothing! You and your damned hammer mean nothing!”

Thor’s brow furrowed, his eyes growing dark, and outside thunder rumbled.

Loki went stock-still at the sound, a shiver running through his body. Thor was speaking, his voice low with anger, but Loki could not listen. He was waiting, dreading its return. There it was again, the growl of thunder filling the halls of the castle and echoing out over the city below. Loki let out a choked cry, turned on his heel, and bolted.

He made it to his rooms in record time, and by the time Thor managed to catch up, he was tucked away out of sight.

"Loki?! What ails you so?" he called out, his anger lost for worry of his brother’s reaction. Loki did not scare so easily, especially over something as simple as Thor’s anger. There was no reply, so Thor started to look around on his own. He finally found him, curled up under his desk with his hands over his ears.

Thor reached for him, but Loki flinched away, his mouth moving without his permission. “Make it stop. Make it silent. It burns… it burns me, please make it silent.”

Thor’s hand froze inches away from him, and he drew back slowly with a look of horror across his face. He had harmed his bother much more than he initially thought.

As usual, when his heart was troubled, the sky filled with clouds and his lightning answered. As soon as the first growls began, joined by bright flashes of light, Loki screamed and tried to force himself under the desk further.

"Nonononono!"

"Loki…" Thor whispered, and closed his eyes. The only way to help his brother was to calm himself, and that was a difficult task when each of Loki’s screams broke his heart.

By the time the clouds blew away, Loki’s voice had grown horse and weak from his cries. By the time Thor managed to pull him from his hide-away, Loki’s eyes had long since dried and something in them worried Thor even more than the screams.

"Stay… stay away from me," Loki rasped, pushing himself away and taking a few steps back.

"Loki, I promise it will not happen again! I would never hurt you intentionally."

"Stay. Away. From. Me."

"Loki…"

"OUT!" He screeched, and Thor was sent skidding into the hall from the push of some invisible hand. The doors slammed shut in his face, behind them, Loki’s face a mask of rage. Thor stood at the door for a long while, staring at the dark wood as if it would reveal the secrets of the universe, or perhaps just his brother. When nothing came forth, he slowly turned away and left for his chambers.

Outside, the rain began to fall, clattering against the castle, turning the earth to mud. It rained for a many days and nights, but not once did thunder sound.


End file.
